How does the intergenerational trauma, caused by the Canadian Residential School System, impacts the descendants of survivors and how do they recuperate from it? I firstly represent the Canadian Residential School System and its impact on survivors. Followed by the explanation of the term “intergenerational trauma”, I draw the connections between the ongoing trauma and RSS. In the main body, the multifaceted impacts on descendants are described. Afterwards, I depict selected aspects of recuperation from the intergenerational trauma. In the outlook, I give personal and self-generate suggestions and critics on the impacts as well as recuperation.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Residential Schools in Canada
2.1 Impacts on Survivors
3. Intergenerational Trauma
3.1 Intergenerational Trauma Caused by the Residential School System
4. Negative Impacts on Descendants of Residential School Survivors
4.1 Family Impacts
4.2 Psychological Impacts
4.3 Cultural Impacts
4.4 Economical and Social Impacts
5. Recuperation from the Intergenerational Trauma
6. Outlook
Objectives and Research Themes
The academic work examines the long-term, multi-layered consequences of the Canadian Residential School system, focusing specifically on how intergenerational trauma affects the descendants of survivors and exploring potential avenues for healing and recovery.
- The historical context and objectives of the Canadian Residential School system.
- The mechanisms of intergenerational trauma and its transmission across generations.
- The multifaceted impacts on descendants, including family, psychological, and cultural disruptions.
- Social and economic challenges faced by Indigenous communities as a legacy of this system.
- Strategies and critical perspectives on the process of recuperation and reconciliation.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Family Impacts
Modelling, observing, and imitating are parts of how children learn behaviour. Therefore, particularly parents function as role models for them (Boll and Lagemann 2018, 52). As described in chapter 3.1, three to four generations of RSSs (Elias et al. 2012, 1561; Steckley and Cummins 2008, 195) had no appropriate parent figures in their life. As most of the RSSs spent their entire childhood in RSs, the school staff (inter alia priests and nuns) became their “institutional parents” (Stout and Peters 2011, 10). However, the staff were not an appropriate replacement for the children. On contrary, they were partly abused instead of loved, beaten instead of hugged. Moreover, some denounced their birth parents because they (from their perspective) had given them to an RS (TRC 2012, 79). It can be assumed that the children did not know that their parents had no other choice, at least from 1920 onwards (Racette 2009, 61).
Consequently, the greatest intergenerational effects of RSs are the missing, not learned parenting skills. One descendant of an RSS explains: “I had nothing to draw from. I didn’t know what it was to be a mother. Because I had no memories of mom mothering me” (Stout and Peters 2011, 40). Through that, most childhoods as well as parenthoods were and are characterised by “demonstrating inconsistent affective responses to their children” (Haring et al. 2015, 24), as well as not being able to show their love to their children. Another descendant states that she was “thinking that it’s normal not to hug […; her] kids” (Stout and Peters 2011, 30). Missing possibilities to learn parental behaviour often led to family dysfunctions, emotional dissociation and disconnections between the descendants or RSSs and their children (Stout and Peters, 21; TRC 2012, 77).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research topic of intergenerational trauma caused by Canadian Residential Schools and defines the scope, significance, and personal relevance of the study.
2. Residential Schools in Canada: Outlines the historical origin and institutional goals of the residential school system, emphasizing its role in forced assimilation and the subsequent impact on survivors.
3. Intergenerational Trauma: Defines the conceptual framework of intergenerational trauma, explaining how traumatic experiences are transmitted to subsequent generations without direct exposure to the initial event.
4. Negative Impacts on Descendants of Residential School Survivors: Details the multidimensional effects of the residential school legacy on descendants, including family dysfunction, mental health issues, cultural loss, and social inequities.
5. Recuperation from the Intergenerational Trauma: Analyzes the process of healing, including the government apology, reconciliation efforts, and the importance of reclamation of culture and spiritual strength.
6. Outlook: Summarizes the research findings regarding the ongoing struggles of descendants and provides a critical perspective on the necessity of decolonized, active support systems over mere financial compensation.
Keywords
Residential Schools, Intergenerational Trauma, Indigenous Communities, Canada, Assimilation, Cultural Genocide, Descendants, Systematic Abuse, Mental Health, Reconciliation, Decolonization, Oral Traditions, Resilience, Social Inequity, Healing Process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The paper examines the enduring consequences of Canada's former Residential School system, specifically detailing how the trauma experienced by attendees has been transmitted to their descendants through intergenerational mechanisms.
What are the central themes discussed?
The main themes include colonial assimilation policies, the psychological and societal legacy of abuse, the loss of Indigenous cultural identity and parenting models, and contemporary paths toward cultural revitalization and recuperation.
What is the main research question being addressed?
The paper seeks to answer: "How does the intergenerational trauma, caused by the Canadian Residential School system, impact the descendants of survivors, and how do they recuperate from it?"
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The study conducts a comprehensive literature review, synthesizing findings from sociological, psychological, and historical sources, as well as official reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body identifies specific impacts on descendants—ranging from family struggles and suicidality to cultural disconnection—and critiques the effectiveness of current government-led reconciliation frameworks.
Which key terms define this research?
Terms such as, "Residential Schools", "Intergenerational Trauma", "Assimilation", "Decolonization", and "Cultural Resilience" are central to the discourse presented in the paper.
How does the author view the Canadian government's role in the healing process?
The author argues that while official apologies and financial funds are symbolic, they are insufficient to "break" the trauma, calling instead for active support that honors specific cultural understandings and decolonization practices.
Why is this paper particularly relevant to current pedagogical contexts?
The author, as a future teacher, emphasizes that integrating these historical realities into school curricula is essential for developing reflective intercultural competencies and raising awareness about ongoing systemic inequalities.
- Citation du texte
- Lisann Schwartz (Auteur), 2022, Canada's Residential School System. Intergenerational Trauma and the Recuperation from It, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1257172
